For over one hundred years, the Michelin Guide has steered travelers to culinary hot spots around the world. The guide’s newer Michelin Key distinction debuted in 2024 and recognizes outstanding hotels for their character, design, charm, and service.
Looking for your next sumptuous escape? These seven spots are among the newest Key holders in the South.
Heights House Hotel
Raleigh, North Carolina
This historic mansion turned boutique hotel opened in 2021 in Raleigh’s Boylan Heights neighborhood, steps from downtown. Soaring fifteen-foot ceilings give its nine rooms a light and airy feel, yet working fireplaces throughout make the spaces cozy. Stay for a night, or pop in for a quick cocktail in the parlor. “Earning a Michelin Key is recognition not just of the design or the details, but of every guest who felt at home here,” says owner Sarah Shepherd.
Quercus
Gay, Georgia
Drive an hour outside of Atlanta and completely unplug at Quercus—each of the four cabins comes with a red-light therapy room, a sauna, an outdoor ice bath, and a handy WiFi kill switch. The all-inclusive property also offers plenty of ways to enjoy its 4,000 acres (think clay shooting and horseback riding), while its zero-mile, zero-waste culinary program means that over 90 percent of its produce is grown on-site or comes from less than five miles away.
The Lodge at Primland
Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Set on 12,000 acres of private land in rural Virginia, Primland feels like a world apart. “The breathtaking mountain landscape, sense of seclusion, and unique blend of adventure, well-being, and hospitality create an experience unlike any other,” says general manager Will Rentschler. Whether that adventure includes a spa visit, a mahjong game, a pheasant hunting quest, or a short jaunt in the woods using a borrowed Barbour jacket is up to you.
The Windsor Court
New Orleans, Louisiana
Although this property, set conveniently between the French Quarter and the artsy Warehouse District, contains over three hundred rooms, visitors often remark that the service feels more akin to what you’d get at a small boutique hotel. In addition to a legendary afternoon tea, the British influence extends to the hotel’s Polo Club bar with its dark wood walls, overstuffed leather chairs, and odes to the game of polo on the walls.
The Nickel Hotel
Charleston, South Carolina
It’s hard to balance luxury and convenience, but the Nickel nails it; all fifty rooms have in-room washing machines, dryers, and kitchens, but there’s also a sleek cocktail bar and luxe rooftop patio on site. You’ll be on the quieter side of King Street but right around the corner from the popular coffee shop and watering hole Babas on Cannon and a ten-minute walk from the Michelin-recommended seafood restaurant Chubby Fish.
The Colony Hotel
Palm Beach, Florida
This bubblegum-pink property in the heart of Palm Beach is a pro at mixing luxury with a bit of whimsy. Grab a beach cruiser for a quick zip around town, or hail the pink vintage Land Rover for a see-and-be-seen drive. The weekly Sunday Bingo nights bring some fun and nostalgia to a stay, and if you forget your book, the fully stocked magazine newsstand will outfit you for pool time.
Missing Hotel
Marble Falls, Texas
If you’ve always wanted camping to be your thing, Missing Hotel might be the perfect fit. You won’t be able to see your neighbors from any of the eleven villas or domes, and you’ll enjoy creature comforts like AC, a hot tub, and high-thread-count sheets. But you’ll feel as though you’re on a remote escapade when you’re tucked in bed and staring out at the stars. Austin is just under an hour away, so it’s easy to go missing for a weekend.